In Memory of

Private GEORGE WELLINGTON LINFORD

202262, 2nd/4th Bn., East Yorkshire Regiment

who died age 28

on 03 June 1918

            Son of Harold and Eliza Linford of Keelby, Lincolnshire.                                            Husband of Laura Elizabeth Linford.                            Father of Marjorie, Ivy, Mary and Constance Linford

Remembered with honour

PROSPECT HILL MILITARY CEMETERY

from the Royal Gazette, Bermuda 4 June 1918

"a distressing double fatality occured off the North Shore, Pembroke yesterday, involving the deaths of a little seven year old by Thomas George Stone of Mount Hill and Pte G W Linford of B company 2/4th battalion East Yorkshire Regt., who lost his life in a plucky attempt to rescue the lad. From the evidence that could be gathered at the scene of the drowning, it appears at about 2 o'clock in the afternoon, young Stone with his younger sister Rosie, was fishing off the rocks at Mount Hill. The line attached to a table knife at the shore end was a very short one, and it is presumed this was the cause of the lad over-balancing himself and falling into the water.Immediately the boy disappeared hi sistr turned and ran up the steep bank to the roadway  emiting piercing shrieks for help. Pte Linford and Pte Garner were walking along the road at this perticular moment and hearing the cries for assistance they both rushed down to the sea.Linford only waiting to divest himself of his helmet and tunic at once plunged into the water in a gallant attempt to a effect a rescue. It is quite probable that his efforts would have been successful if he had not injured his head on the rocks in diving. When his dead body was subsequently brought ashore the left side of his forehead was severley contused and lacerated. When Linford dived into the sea, his companion Garner, who is unable to swim, returned up the bank as quickly as possible and secured the immediate services of George Burgess, a fisherman, who lives just above the scene of the fatality. Burgess is a powerful swimmer and at first understood that there was only the child in the water. Attired only in shirt and trousers Burgess plunged into the water and brought to the surface the little boy who was lying face down in 7 feet of water, and quite 100 feet from the point where he first fell in. Coming to the shore with his burden, Burgess was then informed there was a soldier in the water. The body could be distincly observed, also face downward in 15 feet of water and immediatley at the spot where the accident first occured. Again diving into the water, Burgess after difficultly, succeeded in bringing Linford's body ashore. In the meantime telephone messages had been dispatched for police and medical assistance. Dr Dudley C. Trott was quickly on the spot, followed by Major Ahern R.A.M.C Together they worked over the deceased for some time in an effort to restore animation but without success.The ambulance soon after arrived and the bodies covered over with a blanket, were laid on stretchers on the rocks immediately above the scene of the accident until a coroner and jury arrived. Pte Linford must have been considerably handicapped in his attempt to rescue the boy by his regimental boots that weighed 7lbs. He was a married man and leaves a widow and four children in Hull, England. He was called up for service under Lord Derby's scheme in 1916 and has been in Bermuda about 18 months. He was about 35 years of age.

  from the Royal Gazette, Bermuda 15 June 1918

In the

'choosing to die manfully' That was the phase used by  Archdeacon Davidson of Bermuda at a special parade service held at Prospect Park ceremony on Sunday, 9th June to illustrate and also commemorate the heroic conduct of Pte Linford of 2/4th battalion East Yorkshire Regiment who on the previous Monday 3rd June had drowned whilst trying to save the life of a child who had fallen into the sea on North Shore.'

Advertisement in the Royal Gazette 6th June 1918

The 'Mrs Gorringe Necklace' company will give their last performance on Friday 7th June at the Gymnasium, Prospect. Prices 2/- and 1/-                Proceeds devoted to the Benefit of the family of the late Pte G W Linford 2/4th East Yorks

Jane Taylor